Bearing for centrifugal separators.



no. 648,725. Patented May I, I900.

T. COLLINS & E. L. HARTMANN. BEARING FUR CENTRIFUGAL SEPABATORS.

(Application filed Aug. 16, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES, PATENT Fries.

THOMAS COLLINS AND ERNEST LTIIARTMA NN, OF BAINBRIDGE, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOIZS TO THE AMERICAN SEPARATOR COMPANY, (ll SAME PLACE.

BEARING FOR CENTRI FUGAL SEPARATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,725, dated May 1, 1900.

Application filed August 16, 1899. Serial No. 727,366. (No model.)

T!) (Li! relunnwit may concern.- way a firm bearing is provided in the frame Be it known that we, THOMAS COLLINS, a of the machine for the frame of the bearing. subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and The frame a is radially slotted at equidistant ERNEST L. IIARTMANN, a citizen of the United points for the reception of the jaws b, which 55 States, both residing at Bainbridge, in the fit snugly therein and are each adapted to a county of Chenango and State of New York, longitudinal movement, the upper surface of haveinvented a newand useful Improvement the jaws being flush with the surface of the in Bearings for Centrifugal Separators, of frame. The adjacent faces of the jaws b are which the following is a specification. curved to an are agreeing with the cireum- 6o 10 Our invention relates to an improved form ference of the shaft 0 of the centrifugal sepof top bearings for centrifugal separators. arator. The jaws b are made partially hol- I-Ieretofore in these bearings a solid sleeve low with an opening from the back end forhas been employed around the shaft at the ward of a size adapted to receive the springs bearing and the parts of the bearing have b, and the jaws are notched at 2 in their 65 been complicated and rubber or other flexiupper faces. The ring-plate d fits upon the ble material has been employed in connection top of the frame and over the spring-actuatherewith; and the objects of our invention ted jaws b, and the openingtherein limits the to reduce the parts and simplify the construcmovement of the vertical shaft, preventing tion and to render the parts more serviceable. the sam'e moving too far out of the perpen- 7.0

.In carrying out our invention we employ a dicular, and this ring-plate is providedwith frame that is connected to the frame of the downwardly-projecting equidistant fingersd centrifugal separator adjacent to the upper of a width to pass into the notches 2, the finpart of the shaft. This frame is annularand gers coming down behind the openings in the provided with an upper portion transversely jaws as stops, for the rearends of the springs 25 slotted at equidistant places, and in these I). Screws 3 pass through the ring-plate into slots we employ spring-actuated jaws with threaded openings in the upper surface of shoulders to prevent the jaws moving too far the frame a for remov'ably securing the said in one direction, and we employa ring-plate ring-plate to the frame. The jaws b at their on thetop of the frame to maintain the sliding rear edges are each provided with a shoulder 3o jaws in, the frame with downwardly-project- 4, acting as a stop against the adjacent edge ing fingers, against which. the springs press of the frame a to prevent the jaws. moving to force hie jaws forward. The faces of the too far inwardly. The notches 2 prevent the 'jaws are curved to the contour of the shaft jaws moving too far outwardly. The shaft and bear directly upon the shaft and yield 0 revolves directly against the surfaces of the 3 5 as the shaft sways with the centrifugal mojaws b, and there are thus no parts thathave tionof the machine. to be supported or are liable to become loose. In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical crosslVe may make the ring-plate (Z with an annuse ion representing ourimprovements. Fig. lar flange as the equivalent of the fingers d. 2is a plan of the bearing with the top plate In the rapid-rotation of the shaft 0 of the 0 4o removed. Fig. 3 is a plan of the top plate, centrifugal separator there is more or less of andFig. 4 is a partial vertical cross-section an oscillating motion, and this is compenof a modification in smaller size. sated for by the yielding spring-actuated A represents a part of the frame of a cenjaws D, which move with the shaft and maintrifugal separator in which there is a central tain a bearing upon the surface of the shaft 5 '45 opening with'n the ring portion 'A. The at all times.

frame a-comprises an annular portion or ring The devices of our invention form a simple to set within t 1e portion A and to be secured and eliicient top bearing containing but few thereto in any desired manner. The upper parts that are accessible and readily lubriportion of the frame ais of greater diameter, eated. I00 50 so that a shoulder is provided setting upon \Ve have found that in some sizes of centhe upper face of the portion A, and in this tril'ugal separators it is preferable instead of making the frame a as aseparate annularportion or ring to set within the portion A to build this annular portion as an extension A? from and above the portion A of the machine, and the construction embracing this upward extension'we have illustrated in the modification, Fig. 4. In this upward exten; sion radial slots are made at equidistant points for the reception of the jaws 6, similar to those made in the frame a when the same is a separate annular portion.

We claim as our invention 1. The combination with the frame and shaft of a centrifugal separator, of an annular extension to the frame of the machine of greaterinternal diameter than the shaft and leaving a space around the shaft, the said extension being slotted radially at equidistant points, spring-actuated jaws placed and moving longitudinally in said slots and having curved adjacent ends to bear directly upon the surface of the shaft,a. plats fitting upon the said annular extension above the said jaws and stops for limiting the movementof the said spring-actuated jaws in either direction, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the frame and shaft of a centrifugal separator, of an annular frame of greater internal diameter than the shaft adapted to fit the frame of the machine, spring-actuated jaws placed equidistant and moving longitudinally in slots in thethe machineand having an enlarged upper portion to rest upon the frame of the ma: chine, said annular frame being grooved radially at equidistant places, jaws fitting the grooves of said frame and having curved adjacent faces to bear directly upon the separator-shaft,said jaws having openings therein from the other end and springs in said openings, a ring-plate fitting, upon the annular frame and extending over thejaws and having depending fingers passing down behind said jaws-to act as stops for the rear ends of the springs,-substantially as set forth,

4. The combination with the frame and the shaft in a centrifugal separator, of an annular frame fitting, an opening in the frame of the machine and having its upper portion larger than the lower portion and provided with radial equidistant grooves, jaws fitting said grooves and having adjacent surfaces curved to'conform to the separator-shaft and bearing directly thereon, the said jaws having openings made therein from "the opposite end and notches in the'upper portions of the said jaws at said openings, shoulders 2 along the lower edges of said jaws, springs within the openings'in the jaws, aring-plate secured to the upper surface of the frame and extending over the. spring-actuated jaws and having depending fingers in line with the center of said jaws I and adapted; to fit the notches therein and serving asfstops at the rear ends of the springs, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

Signed by us this 3d day of August, 1891).

THOMAS COLLINS. ERNEST I-IARTMANN.

Witnesses:

F. J. FLETCHER, IRVING J. TILLMAN. 

